Harm's Way Strong Ale
Clay Pipe Brewing Company

From Clay Pipe's "1 & Done" series comes Harm's Way, a hazy orangeish-copper ale with a reddish-orange cast and a creamy ivory head. The retention is fairly good, and it holds shortly before dropping to a razor thin surface covering that leaves wide splashes of lace about the glass.

The nose delivers yeasty fruitiness (apple, grape, some mild citrus) and a delicately caramelish malt.

In the mouth it's lively, fine-bubbled carbonation is gently zesty; yet it remains dextrinous, lightly creamy, and smooth due to its medium-full body.

The flavor blends its yeasty fruitiness (dull berries, dryish apples, some dark fruit) with a brown sugar/caramel-drizzled and honeyish malt to give caramelized pineapple notes! It's leafy and grassy hops stand out, but then also blend to lend an almost licorice-like note as well. It's backed by a solid bitterness and it finishes with its flavors slowly fading from the palate to leave a lingering dull bitterness. It's very well brewed, and the alcohol never makes an appearance!

It's interesting, superbly English in character, and best enjoyed at cellar temperature.